Features

Unlike Santa Claus who needs a solid roof only once a year to ensure a safe landing, homeowners depend upon their roofs every day as the first line of defense against the elements. A neglected roof can quickly become an…

Sacre bleu! I knew there had to be a reason that I am a bit of a Francophile. Along with champagne, Monet, Gerard Depardieu and wine bars, the French are generally credited with having developed what has become the modern…

As your colorful summer garden fades, you may think you’re finished pinching, pruning, digging and deadheading…but no! There’s no rest for the gardening weary. There’s just one more gardening project for you this fall that will bring you immeasurable joy…

In movies, the closets are always filled with flawlessly folded sweaters, jewelry is nestled in velvet-lined cases, and Prada peep-toe pumps are perched neatly on shelves. Down here in the real world, most of us have closets that are a…

Toss those stiff old paintbrushes and half-empty paint cans buried in your garage. Go ahead and do it now because you won’t need them this summer. Luxurious and vibrant wallpapers that turn rooms into art are ready to reclaim their place…

Bad loans, bailouts, foreclosures, layoffs… reports of the grim state of our economy are front and center these days, and everyone is paying attention. While it’s distressing and uncertain, the upside is that in many ways, living leaner is an…

Did you know the tomato, that hard-working staple of culinary culture, was first known as the pomme d’amour—the love apple? It’s true, and who could blame early cultivators? These gorgeous fleshy fruits are related to the mandrake, which means “love plant” in…

“I’ll be waiting for you in the shade of the old apple tree,” wrote Harry Williams in the 1905 song that evokes images of a peaceful setting for relaxing, enjoying the beauty of the surroundings and meeting that special someone.…

By Ashley Blanchard The afternoon light is spilling through the window while I sip hot tea and check email from my white sofa—a luxurious oasis in a house with two young boys. I look up to admire my bookshelves that…

By Amy Coutee Certainly there are beautiful, warm and inviting homes all around us. But then there are homes so appealing and comfortable you find yourself unable to leave. Welcome to Frederick Wilt’s Smith Mountain Lake home where, seated on…